Syria refugee crisis: U.S. opens centres to speed vetting

Screening outposts to be set up in Iraq, Lebanon as U.S. urges Arab nations to do more

Refugees and migrants arrive from the island of Lesbos to the port of Piraeus on Friday. About 25,000 refugees and other migrants are heading to the Greek mainland from the eastern Aegean islands after the country's seamen's union called off rolling, 48-hour ferry strikes. (Thanassis Stavrakis/Associated Press)

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The Obama administration is moving to increase and accelerate the number of Syrian refugees who might be admitted into the United States by opening new screening outposts in Iraq and Lebanon, administration officials told Reuters on Friday.

The move comes after President Barack Obama pledged in September to admit an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2016, torn by four years of civil war and disorder.

The U.S. State Department confirmed the plans to open a refugee settlement processing centre in Erbil, Iraq, before the end of 2015, and to resume refugee processing in Lebanon in early 2016, said spokeswoman Danna Van Brandt.

The White House would not say how many additional refugees it may take in beyond the 10,000, but two senior administration officials said they are seeking ways to increase the number.

Suitable for resettlement

"We want to be in a place where we can push out really ambitious goals," said one of the officials, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

The State Department runs nine screening centres worldwide that serve as meeting points for refugees and U.S. Department of Homeland Security employees who have to decide who is suitable for resettlement in the United States.

The additional centres will double the number available to refugees in the Middle East.

Most Syrians are now screened for potential U.S. resettlement at centres in Istanbul and Amman, Jordan. The new centres are designed to "increase the channels" the United States has for reaching Syrian refugees, the official said.

Amid a tide of refugees in Europe, some congressional Democrats and refugee advocates say the United States should do more for Syrians who often make dangerous journeys to lands where they have no home or means of employment.

However, some Republicans have raised concerns that allowing more Syrians into the United States jeopardizes national security.

Arab, BRIC nations urged to do more

In another development, Anne Richard, U.S. assistant secretary of state, told C-SPAN's Newsmakers program on Friday that wealthy Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar as well as the so-called BRICs emerging market nations should do more to help Syrian refugee.

"I would liketo see more aid come from the Gulf states that are in the Middle East area and are relatively wealthy compared to Jordan and Lebanon," she said. "We would also like to see more from the so-called BRICs — Brazil, Russia, India, China and, to a lesser extent South Africa," she added. "These are the wealthy states that care about the region that could and should be doing more on the humanitarian side."

About 250,000 people have died and an estimated four million driven abroad as refugees because of the Syrian conflict, which began in 2011 with protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which has evolved into a full-blown civil war. The majority of the refugees have flowed into neighbouring nations such as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon but hundreds of thousands have also made their way to Europe.

Ya know what? Until people accept their reality, nothing will ever change.

US is a FOR PROFIT Corporation! This why Barry doesn't get impeached, because he is the CEO. "congress" are the officers. Our Tax money doesn't even stay here .. It goes to London and the Vatican. No more "laws" are going to "force them" to get rid of anyone...the Elite make sure they have exactly who they want in these positions.

If you start looking through the lens, that US is providing services to us.. Like Drivers Licenses, Marriage, Hunting etc... We RENT the homes we think we are buying and we don't own the cars we think we paid off. If you see that this is our reality, you would realize, that while incredibly sad, this all makes perfect sense ...NWO, Agenda 21 & 30, Georgia Guidestones...Albert Pike said WWIII would be between Christians and Muslims...(some claim this is an "Internet legend" but since it's been reported that Pike's letter hung in The Smthsonian, I'm going with it being real). If this isn't all "planned" how would he know that? 33rd Degree Mason and Illumanti member?

It is ALL planned! Paris was probably a False Flag, like 9/11, Sandy Hook, Boston Bombing...most "random shootings" that are discussed in a gov doc called Aquarius on stopthecrime.net it's truly pathetic that we patriots are running around social media screaming "wake up" by people who think "they" are the awake ones. I loved the ideals my country was founded on, but the truth remains, there isn't anyone alive that actually lived in the country that we all thought we did.

The way out? A DoD predictive model has been used in over 30 conflicts around the world says that we and the world are returning to Rule of Law. It is 90-95% accurate.Those are the best odds we have of anything succeeding.

Like your observation, Parfie, that a DoD predictive model shows we are returning to Rule of Law. But whose "law"? In order for We, the People, to benefit from a return to Rule of Law, the "law" must be grounded in common sense, natural and without the current monopoly of force from, and unaccountability of, government. There is a group in Florida which is working toward reestablishing that Rule of Law in all the State's counties. The name of the group is Task Force Liberty and can be found at www.taskforceliberty.org.

@ Harry Riley ; Sir , the Video you posted 2 days ago and later taken down , after some research I came up with this.Everyone needs to see this ( Your ) Video ; Everyone needs to Learn from it ; it is Frightening ; it is Scary what the Invasive Species are doing to the Germans and All Europe . Chaos in Paris , Murdering of Innocent People .Merkel is on a Suicide Mission ; a Mission to Destroy Europe . Wake up America ; if WE don`t Stand Tall and Fight Back , WE will be like Europe . Please watch it and Pass it Around. Thank you Sir .

It was on Fox News , Business ; all night ; there are about 200 dead and many wounded .The barbarism and carnage on the streets of Paris are a Reminder that the free world is at war with brutal terrorist Hyenas groups who seek death, fear and destruction on the Planet .Wake up America ; if WE don`t Stand Tall , it will be here too .Everyone needs to see this ( Your ) Video ; Everyone needs to Learn from it ; it is Frightening ; it is Scary what the Invasive Species are doing to the Germans and All Europe . Chaos in Paris , Murdering of Innocent People .Merkel is on a Suicide Mission ; a Mission to Destroy Europe . Wake up America ; if WE don`t Stand Tall and Fight Back , WE will be like Europe . Please watch it and Pass it Around. Thank you Sir .

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